The government have written an explanatory document stating how the Digital Economy Bill will work for libraries, universities and wifi hotspots. According to Lilian Edwards, who is professor of internet law at Sheffield University, the Bill is likely to kill wifi hotspots in places like pubs, cafes, and libraries:

"This is going to be a very unfortunate measure for small businesses, particularly in a recession, many of whom are using open free Wi-Fi very effectively as a way to get the punters in," Edwards said.

As more people come to depend on their computers to make a living, the need for wireless Internet access has prompted some businesses to offer free Wi-Fi as a way to attract customers and to provide an edge over the competition. Free Wi-Fi can help build customer loyalty and keep customers in the establishment longer. An increase in business can help offset the cost of Wi-Fi installation.

The UK's largest internet service providers will start collecting the details of customers who unlawfully download films, music and TV programmes early next year, in order to send them warning letters under a code of practice proposed today by the media regulator Ofcom.

The draft Ofcom code was immediately denounced by the UK's second largest ISP as a "bureaucratic dog's breakfast".

Any internet user who receives three letters in the space of 12 months faces having their personal details handed over to the owner of the copyrighted material so they can be sued.